EMPTY pairs of shoes representing 212 lives lost on our streets will be on display during a demonstration at Stormont on Saturday. 

Organised by The People’s Kitchen, the demonstration has been jointly sponsored by Independent Councillor Paul McCusker and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll.

Damian McNairney, Trustee at The People’s Kitchen, explained: “According to most up-to-date statistics, there were 212 drug-related deaths here in 2021. The number of such deaths has more than doubled in just ten years.

“On Saturday, we will install a pair of empty shoes for each of the lives lost in the government statistics, which we believe fall short of the actual figure. 

“Any such death is unacceptable, but we have now reached a crisis point. This is an emergency situation, which has had no real government response. Our demonstration aims to highlight this appalling lack of responsibility and to give voice to those battling addiction and those bereaved through drugs.”

Independent Councillor and The People’s Kitchen founder, Paul McCusker, added: “Too many individuals have been utterly failed by the system. 

“Our community of volunteers and supporters do our best to help people in crisis, but we can only do so much. We need urgent action from government and statutory agencies to deal with addiction and homelessness.

“Prevention-centred services with a focus on dual diagnosis for people suffering from mental ill-health and addiction are crucial. The sticking plaster approach doesn’t work – we need proper crisis intervention to save lives.”

West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll said: “Drug addiction disproportionately affects working class communities that are now bearing the brunt of a cost of living crisis. A lack of social homes, homelessness, deprivation, and plummeting living standards are all causal factors that need to be addressed in the long run.”